Yemen Mocha Mattari is grown on the Arabian Peninsula in the rugged mountains of Yemen. One of the oldest and most famous coffees, this is the real "mocha". The legends of Omar and Kaldi attribute this coffee the power of life itself. Coffees from Yemen are the most distinct and highly praised coffees in the world. Yemen coffees are the epitome of a "wild" cup and can border on scary at times because of their deep earthy, complex, pungency with overlays of dry fruit (like raisin and apricot), cardamom, dry cinnamon, and tobacco notes.

In the 17th Century, Portuguese seamen arrived at the port town of Mocha. The tired sailors were greeted with a stimulating local brew. They brought some back with them to Europe and the port of Mocha on the Red Sea started trading their coffee regularly. Up until 100 years ago the coffee was shipped through Mocha, though now it goes through Aden and Hodeida.

The coffee is still cultivated and processed today much as it has been for centuries. Seedlings are grown in nurseries and then transplanted to terraced farms carved into the steep hillsides from 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level. The lack of rain in this region makes this coffee very special. The plants are irrigated and the beans are processed by the dry method. In fact, many of the beans are dried on the trees before picking and hulling. The dry hot air permits this technique.

Yemen Mocha Matari is known for its winy flavor, snappy acidity yet smoothness of character with overtones of chocolate with a heavier body than its Ethiopian neighbor. It leaves a lingering taste of coconut on the finish, complementing it's rich body. Enjoy the original mocha.